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Washington, DC – Congressman José E. Serrano, Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez, and Congressman Luis V. Gutiérrez, co-chairs of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Task Force on Puerto Rico, today released the following statement in response to reports that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) would submit a disaster supplemental request of $44 billion to help hurricane affected areas, including Puerto Rico:

“Once again the Trump Administration has proven it lacks the will to help Puerto Rico in a comprehensive manner. Puerto Rico is facing a serious humanitarian and economic crisis, and now more than ever the American citizens on the island need our help. This supplemental request fails to provide sufficient funding to help Puerto Rico address immediate needs and set itself on the road to recovery. We also understand that it fails to provide a solution to the potentially devastating Medicaid cliff that is currently facing Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Moving forward without significant changes will only hinder the Puerto Rican government’s capacity to address the situation on the ground and will contribute to further suffering on the island. We will work with our colleagues in Congress to increase funds in the supplemental and help ensure Puerto Rico and its 3.4 million American citizens have the necessary aid to face this crisis head on. While we understand that OMB plans further supplemental appropriations requests, we believe that more must be done now,” said the co-chairs of the CHC Task Force on Puerto Rico.